But the hydra wasn't finished.
A second head lunged from below, jaws snapping shut with terrifying speed.
Too fast!
Lucivar twisted mid-swim. The fangs grazed past his torso, nearly tearing him in half.
He jammed his foot downward, slamming it against the lower jaw while his forearm pressed against the upper fangs.
Steel scraped.
Teeth ground.
"Damn it!"
With a snarl, Lucivar yanked his sword free and rammed it straight down the monster's throat.
The blade sank deep.
The hydra let out a muffled, horrifying scream, bubbles and blood exploding into the water as it recoiled violently.
Lucivar didn't hesitate.
He kicked off the writhing head and swam hard.
But then,
The water shuddered.
Another massive shadow surged toward him from below.
A second head.
Lucivar's eyes narrowed as he forced his body faster, muscles screaming while the lake churned around him.
"This is… a bit annoying," Lucivar muttered, swinging toward the hydra's massive head.
He raised his sword, but the head moved faster than expected. Even in water, it dodged.
What the hell… how can a head this huge move so quickly?
Lucivar gritted his teeth and swung again. The hydra lunged, snapping its jaws at him. One fang sank into his hand. Blood gushed instantly.
Without hesitation, Lucivar drove his sword into the creature's eye.
SPLASH!
The hydra shrieked, a sound that vibrated through the water and shook everything nearby.
Lucivar kicked off, swimming upward with all his strength. Water streamed past him as he clawed at the crystal-lined surface, finally hauling himself onto the shore.
He staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his hand, the muscles in his arm still trembling from the attack.
Jorah moved closer, eyes sharp. "Lucivar, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Lucivar said, flexing his hand. "It's… not over yet. It's still in the water."
The hydra hesitated, its massive heads hovering in the lake, seemingly reassessing their target.
Vorric's voice came from the shore. "I thought for sure you'd be dead by now… How the hell are you still standing?"
Lucivar wiped the blood off his palm. "Focus. This isn't about me. We need a plan."
He glanced at the dungeon door, still sealed. "So… do we have to kill this thing to move forward?"
Jorah nodded. "Exactly. The next floor won't open until it's defeated. But once we strike it together, a portal will appear to the first floor, or wherever we need to go. We can do this."
Lucivar clenched his jaw, his crimson eyes glinting. "Then let's finish it quickly."
"But still… they're not attacking their own boss," Merilda said, watching the hydra circle within the lake.
Lucivar nodded, eyes never leaving the massive creature. "Our real target is the forehead. The largest head. The core head. It's the strongest one, the one controlling the rest. If we shatter the scale on its forehead and destroy the core beneath, it's over."
Jorah clenched his teeth. "That's easier said than done. Our weapons can't even crack its scales."
Lucivar exhaled slowly. "Then we keep striking."
Everyone looked at him.
"Even if it takes a thousand strikes," Lucivar continued calmly. "Even a million. The scale will break eventually. We don't have a choice."
Silence followed, heavy and grim.
They all knew it was true.
Before anyone could respond, Merilda stepped forward. "Lucivar."
She reached for his injured hand, gently but firmly. "Hold still. Let me heal you."
She planted her staff against the ground. Soft green light bloomed from the crystal at its tip, wrapping around Lucivar's hand. Warmth spread through his palm as the torn flesh slowly knitted itself back together, the bleeding stopping almost instantly.
Lucivar watched the wound close, then flexed his fingers. "Good."
"Then we need a plan," Volrian said, gripping his weapon. "What do we do now?"
Jorah exhaled through his teeth. "Simple. We attack."
Volric nodded once, already shifting into position.
The lake exploded.
All four hydra heads surged out of the water at once, towering over them. Scales glistened, wounds already closing. Eyes regenerating. Flesh knitting itself together.
Lucivar's gaze hardened.
So it really is regenerating, he thought. I destroyed one eye with my sword and another with my fist, yet it's already recovered. As long as the core in its forehead remains intact, this thing won't stay down.